Survey Says: Hybrid Approach to Cloud Offers Best-of-Both-Worlds

With so much hype surrounding cloud, we love to see some real data. According to a recent online poll of business and IT leaders conducted by IDG Research Services, almost all enterprises have adopted or are planning to adopt a hybrid cloud model for at least a portion of their computer applications. Makes sense, right? It certainly seems like a good deal to get the best-of-both-worlds, but it brings us to a critical question: how do you deal with separate internal and public infrastructures?

Security is obviously a top concern when it comes to cloud adoption plans. After all, what CIO wouldn’t worry about a threat in a public environment spilling over into his enterprise network? Plus, couldn’t this bring about additional complexities?

When it comes to locking down security for cloud applications, enterprises have a few options, each with their own advantages:

On-Premise Security

Single security authority

More control over data protection

Full risk and compliance posture visibility

Less complexity

Outsourced Security

Financial relief

Diminished management and oversight

Specialized 3rd-party security resources

Interestingly, 45 percent of the survey respondents in the above-mentioned poll think that a hybrid or mixed approach to cloud security is the way to go. They see similar best-of-both-worlds benefits of managed security services, as well as a tight rein on data protection. What’s more, it’s an affordable way to add security capabilities when budgets are tight. And while there may be challenges in terms of visibility and the ability to enforce security, by working together in tandem, the internal-external partnership can yield great results.

In short, it seems most enterprises agree: When done right, there’s no reason not to reach for the clouds. What’s your take on implementing a hybrid approach to the cloud?